The Patriots' quarterback room has been turned upside down this offseason. The club moved on from Mac Jones by dealing him to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and New England not only brought in Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick, but also drafted Joe Milton on Day 3. On top of this youth movement with two rookies coming aboard, the Patriots went into free agency to bring back an old friend: Jacoby Brissett.
This marks Brissett's second stint with the organization, which drafted him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Unlike his first go-around where he was looked at as a developmental piece in a quarterback room that already boasted Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo, Brissett's role with the 2024 Patriots is multi-faceted. On the field, he could very well be asked to start out of the gate until Maye is ready to ascend to QB1. Off it, Brissett is looked at as a veteran who can serve as a mentor for Maye to help his development.
"When I was here the first time, you realize everybody's your mentor that's older than you in this league or has more experience, and I hope I'm that for more than just Drake," Brissett said, via the official team website. "I'm a teammate first. I can be a good teammate to not only [Maye] but to everybody on this team."
Brissett has been a starter for multiple franchises throughout his career and does have experience playing in an Alex Van Pelt-run offense, which could prove to be extremely helpful in bringing along Maye.
"I'm excited to work with him. I remember when I was following Tom [Brady] around," Brissett said of Maye. "He's already texting me about plays and how I think about things and cadence -- all the little nuances of being in this position at this level."
It is a rather interesting situation that Brissett finds himself in as it relates to his willingness to help Maye through the initial stages of his rookie season. While he could be the starter to begin the year, the better Brissett mentors Maye the closer he is to seeing the bench. As he noted, though, he's entering this second stint with the Patriots with a team-first mentality.
As for a scouting report on Maye, it's safe to say he is impressed.
"He's got a lot of talent. He can make all the throws. He wants to learn football. He wants to get better," Brissett said, via MassLive.com. "That's what you want. Not only in your quarterback, but anybody on the team. I'm excited to work with him."
